Ephesians 1:15-23 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
There are so many days I sit down to pray and I find myself challenged to come up with the right words to say. Jesus teaches us in the Gospels how to pray, but when I sit down and start praying I find my mind going in 30 different directions. When I read a prayer such as this one from Paul, I can’t help but be inspired by the power of his words. I find it a great model for me to follow when I simply don’t know where to start.
Paul starts this prayer by thanking God for their faith in Christ and love of the saints. What better way to start than to give thanks. One of the natural byproducts of faith in Christ is love for each other. Jesus says that the second greatest command is to love your neighbor as yourself.
Next he prays that the believers feel the power of God in their lives. That the eyes of their heart would be opened and they would be given the spirit of wisdom and revelation. Without the power of God to open the eyes of our heart, we will never see life around us the way He does. Our spirit will be dull to the way God is working and we wont be able to fully live our lives daily in Christ.
I see three reasons Paul is praying this prayer and what impact it can have in our lives:
- That the Ephesians (and us) will see the hope in which He has called us.
- That we see the riches of His glorious inheritance.
- We will see the imeasurable greatness of His power toward us.
One of the greatest needs we have is hope. Not only as Christians, but our nature as humans causes us to hope in something. Some hope in wealth, others may hope in good health, but our hope is Jesus Christ himself. Paul wants the Ephesians, and us, to be confident in the hope of eternity reigning in and with Christ. Face to face with the creator of the universe.
Next we are to be enlightened to the riches of our inheritence. The inheritence we have is to share in the riches of Christ’s glory. We will one day be holy and blameless, reigning with Christ for all eternity in heaven.
Lastly, we are equiped with imeasurable greatness of His power toward us. The world is not ours, it is filled with powers, dominions, and authorities that are working in unison to distract us from the things of God. Yet, we are filled with the Power of God to defeat any and all fiery darts from the enemy that may come against us.
When I read a prayer like this I cant help but have my mind filled with people who need the power of God in their life, so I pray for that. Or friends who need a touch from the Lord and a great hope to keep them going, so I pray for that. Or even a prayer for myself to be reminded of the reason I am here and the plan God has for me that was laid out before the foundation of my eternal inheritence in Him.
Thank you Lord for your Word and the power it is in my life today. As I read through it I am always encouraged and see you as even more amazing!